Silmarillion Haiku
by Hellga
Summary: UPDATE Added page on Maedhros. Quenya and English versions of each haiku.
1. Nienor

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer:**  The wonderful language of Quenya and the tragic character of Nienor are the property of genial J.R.R.T.  

**Disclaimer 2:  **I am not Japanese and I am familiar with Japanese culture not nearly as well as I would like to be, so my haikus probably suck as haikus, but I tried to do my best.

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**Nienor**

**Ilyë tier undulávë lumbulë,   
Ilyë sírer untúpa hísië,   
I Hildë vanwa na.**

**Nienor (Mourning)**

**All ways are drowned in shadow,**

**All rivers are covered by mist,**

**The mortal woman is lost.**

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When I wrote the Quenya version, I meant myself.  Then later I realized how well it fit the story of Nienor – something Mablung might have said after losing her at the borders of Doriath after her unfortunate meeting with Glaurung.  Of course, Mablung would have spoken in Sindarin, Doriathrin dialect, to be exact, but I am a lot more familiar with Quenya, so I wrote in Quenya.  If the first line seems awfully familiar – it is because it should be.  After all, I took it from the famous "Namarie" poem.  I wrote it in Quenya first, then translated into English… it is not so with all the haiku.


	2. Fingolfin

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer:**  The wonderful language of Quenya and the tragic character of Nienor are the property of genial J.R.R.T.  

**Disclaimer 2:  **I am not Japanese and I am familiar with Japanese culture not nearly as well as I would like to be, so my haikus probably suck as haikus, but I tried to do my best.

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**Fingolfin**

**Pride led you through The Grinding Ice**

**Despair threw you against the Black Enemy**

**Broken life.**

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This was the original English version of the poem, inspired by the song "When the Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill)" by Blind Guardian.

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**Nolofinwë**

**Canafëa, Helcaraxë atáriëlye**

**Morigottova cotumo u-estelinen**

**I ****laito rúcina.**

**Fingolfin**

**Comanding spirit, you have crossed the Grinding Ice**

**[Became] Morgoth's enemy from lack of hope**

**Shattered life**

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This is the final Quenya version with English translation.

I always felt guilty about not being interested in Fingolfin and the Second House nearly as much as Fëanárioni and Arafinwioni.  I guess this is the payment to my guilt.

**Nolofinwë **is the Quenya form of Fingolfin (which is Sindarinized Finwë Nolofinwë)

**Moringotto** is the Quenya form of Morgoth (Moringhoto is archaic rejected form)

While amilesse (name given by the mother, often prophetic) for Fingolfin is either Ingoldo or Aracano, I chose Canofëa as an anesse for him, after all, person who included root "cano" – "command" in the names of all three of his sons (Fingon – Findecano, Turgon – Turucano, Argon – Aracano (last one is not included in the Silmarillion, he was killed in the first battle host of Fingolfin fought after crossing the Helkaraxë)) can have Canafëa as his name.  At least I think he can.


	3. Feanor

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer:**  The wonderful language of Quenya, the pround and dysfunctional Noldor and fiery Fëanor are still the property of genial J.R.R.T.  

**Disclaimer 2:  **I am not Japanese and I am familiar with Japanese culture not nearly as well as I would like to be, so my haikus probably suck as haikus, but I tried to do my best.

**Cordial Thanks and Hugs To the Reviewers:**

Just a girl

Linmenel

Shandrial

Nerweniel

Thanks! I really really appreciate the reviews. That's why I decided to write some more.  Well, that and because I really did not want to work on that speech… ;-)

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**Curufinwë Fëanáro**

**Fëanáro, í náro vása**

**Fëanáro, í rúnya sercëa**

**Sí nálye loicolícuma Mandos ringessë**

**Fëanor**

**Spirit of Fire, the flame consuming**

**Spirit of Fire, the flame blood-red**

**Now you are [but a] corpse-candle in cold Halls of Waiting**

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Fëanáro is the Quenya form of Fëanor

Vása is "consumer", but after I checked correlation of the forms of Quenya nouns and adjectives, it seemed that the ending "a" is acceptable, and I used it as an adjective.

Rúnya is actually "redfire" and sercëa is "bloody", I formed it from the noun "sercë" – "blood", I am not sure if it is fully acceptable form in mature Quenya

Mandos ringessë is poetic form of "in cold Mandos", regular speech would use "ringa Mandosessë" but to me this "correct" version sounds much worse.  Tolkien used the "poetic" version in Firiel's song, so I decided to use it too.

Mandos literally translates to "Castle of Waiting" but Halls of Waiting are pretty much synonymous with it for an Elf, right?

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This is another version of the poem.  Original poem came to 5 lines, and I chopped it up into two parts and added few more images.

**Curufinwë Fëanáro**

**Fëanáro, í náro vása,**

**Ya ustanë í ciryar Teleriva**

**I náro fëalyo ifírië**

Fëanor Spirit of Fire, the flame consuming, 

**Which burned the ships of Teleri**

**The flame of your spirit has expired**

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"Ya" has been used as an ending meaning "which" and I am not sure if I can use it as a separate word, but I decided to try anyway.  Pity that Tolkien developed so many words…

Ustanë is transitive form of the verb "to burn" in the past tense

I contemplated whether to say Teleriva or Teleriliva but the simple plural seemed more appropriate and a lot better sounding

Root "fir" originally meant "to sigh" but later it came to mean "to die" and "to expire" as well.


	4. Turin & Beleg

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer:**  The wonderful language of Quenya and the tragic tale Narn I Hîn Húrin are the property of genial J.R.R.T.  

**Disclaimer 2:  **I am not Japanese and I am familiar with Japanese culture not nearly as well as I would like to be, so my haikus probably suck as haikus, but I tried to do my best.

*** Túrin and Beleg 

**Thunderstorm was raging,**

**No bird sang, when**

**Friend has slain friend**

**Túrin and Beleg**

Raumo ahanë 

**Aiwi u-liriner írë**

**Nildo amácië nildo**

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I have thought what word for "Friend" I should use, and I settled on Nildo over málo and meldo for two reasons.  First of all, "friendship" is "nilme", secondly, meldo I associate more with love than with friendship.

The second line of Quenya poem literally translates as "birds did not sing, when"

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This is another version.  While I was translating the first one from English into Quenya, I have thought of this one, this one is originally in Quenya.

**Súrë ahanë**

**Mistë ullë**

**Nildo amácië nildo**

**Wind raged**

**Rain poured**

**Friend has slain friend**

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I wasn't exactly sure if I could use "ullë" in this case, it is intransitive verm form, and I am not exactly sure that Quenya would have the same word designating "someone pours a drink" and "rain pours".  I couldn't find a better word, so I decided to take the risk and use this one.


	5. Hurin

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer:**  The wonderful language of Quenya, the pround and dysfunctional Noldor and fiery Fëanor are still the property of genial J.R.R.T.  

**Disclaimer 2:  **I am not Japanese and I am familiar with Japanese culture not nearly as well as I would like to be, so my haikus probably suck as haikus, but I tried to do my best.

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**Húrin Thalion**

**Teldo termarala**

**Teldo tirita**

**Ter' furum Moringottova**

**The last one standing,**

**The last one to see**

**Through the lies of Morgoth**

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Here also the Quenya version was the original.  I liked the alliteration, pity I couldn't have it all start wit "t".

"termar" is actually stem meaning "standing through", "enduring".  It refers to his stand in the Fens of Sirion allowing Turgon to return to Gondolin.  He was the last man standing, after all his people and his brother Húor were slain.  

The second part refers to him being blind to the lies of Morgoth, the fact he did not realize until he has looked in the face of Maia Melian, shielded by the Girdle of Doriath from Morgoth's influence.


	6. Finrod

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer:**  The wonderful language of Quenya and the wonderful character of Finrod Felagund are the property of genial J.R.R.T.  

**Disclaimer 2:  **I am not Japanese and I am familiar with Japanese culture not nearly as well as I would like to be, so my haikus probably suck as haikus, but I tried to do my best.

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**Thanks and many hugs to my reviewers:**

**Aranel**

**Funkless** – the best Quenya resource on the Net is Ardalambion, by great Helge Fauskanger

Jen Littlebottom 

**Astrid Tinuvial**

**Zoya**

And especially **Finch**.  I learned from my mistakes, though it is my second nature to try to put too much into every line.  Or every sentence when writing prose.  I have to admit my longest sentence ever was 17 (handwritten) lines.  In Quenya it is impossible to cram anything into so few syllables, and in Russian too, and I have only read Russian translations of haikus before.  As for seasonal theme, it doesn't quite fit in.  I will try, when writing about Sindar.  It should work better then.

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Finrod 

**The noblest of Kings,**

**You died so your friend could love.**

**Hope rose in the sky**

**Findaráto Ingoldo**

**Aranion Anarta, **

**Firyanelyen nildolya méluva.**

**Estel ortanë helwanessë. **

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Finrod is one of my all-time most favorite characters, so I was very reluctant to write about him, because I don't think I could ever do him justice.  So I chose one of the most popular Finrod-themes: he died helping Beren retrieve Silmaril, but in doing so he not only helped Beren win Lúthien, but also gave hope in form of Silmaril, or Eärendil's star, Gil-Estel, to everyone.  It would not be possible without him.


	7. Thingol&Melian

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer:**  The wonderful language of Quenya and the only Elf-Ainu pair on record are the property of genial J.R.R.T.  

**Disclaimer 2:  **I am not Japanese and I am familiar with Japanese culture not nearly as well as I would like to be, so my haikus probably suck as haikus, but I tried to do my best.

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This is the original English version

**Thingol and Melian**

**Long before the Sun**

**First rose over the young forest**

**Two hearts sang with love**

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This is the final Quenya version with English translation

**Elwë Singollo ar Melyanna**

**Anar vá orta an linyéni **

**Or i taurë nessa ar lindë**

**Atta fear lindaner melmenen.**

**Sun will not rise for many years [yet]**

**Over the forest young and singing**

**Two hearts sang [because of] love.**

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This is one of the undeservedly forgotten great love stories…

This haiku (Quenya version) is one of my personal favorites.


	8. ArZimraphel

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer:**  The wonderful language of Quenya, and the story of the tragedy of Númenor belong to genial J.R.R.T.  

**Disclaimer 2:  **I am not Japanese and I am familiar with Japanese culture not nearly as well as I would like to be, so my haikus probably suck as haikus, but I tried to do my best.

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**Ar-Zimraphel**

**Chilly autumn wind**

**Carried away your last hope**

**Waves reclaimed their gift.**

**Tar-Míriel of Númenórë**

**Ringasúrë lasselantuva**

Hocóllë  elya métima estel 

**I falmaran atantana annanta.**

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- Tar-Míriel hoped to appease Eru's wrath by trying to go to the hallowed place on the top of Meneltarma, but she did not reach it in time… but she hoped…

- I don't know what season was when Numenor was destroyed, I have looked through all the HoMEs but I didn't see it.  Here I write about it as happening in the late autumn, but in the story I am working on I am writing about it as happening in the spring.  Go figure…

- I couldn't find a Quenya verb for "take" anywhere, so the literal translation of the last line is  is "to the waves [is] given back their gift".  This, of course, refers to the fact that Númenor was raised from the bottom of the sea and fell into a great chasm, and that one of its names was Andor = Land of Gift in Sindarin (Annorë or even more likely Antanórë in Quenya)


	9. Daeron

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer:**  The wonderful language of Quenya and Daeron belong to genial J.R.R.T.  

**Disclaimer 2:  **I am not Japanese and I am familiar with Japanese culture not nearly as well as I would like to be, so my haikus probably suck as haikus, but I tried to do my best.

This haiku is inspired by Jen Littlebottom's story, Lindórë.  Go read it!

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**Daeron**

**Love was your blessing**

**You made it your great curse**

**Winter chills your soul**

**Melmë né almarelya**

**Carelyes velicë yarulyá**

**Hrívë hilca órelya.**

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Daeron – second version Melmë ná velic' yarulyá 

**Ender ya lehtanë indis**

**Hrívë hilca órelya.**

**Love is your great curse**

**Bridegroom without bride**

**Winter chills your soul**

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- Yaru is "blight", but I couldn't find a better word

- The second line of the second version literally translates as "bridegroom who lost [his] bride".  It is a game of words – one of the meanings of Sindarin root "daer" is bridegroom.  And of course it refers to his love of Luthien. :)


	10. Celebrimbor

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer:**  The wonderful language of Quenya and the tragic character of Celebrimbor the Ringmaker are the property of genial J.R.R.T.  

**Disclaimer 2:  **I am not Japanese and I am familiar with Japanese culture not nearly as well as I would like to be, so my haikus probably suck as haikus, but I tried to do my best.

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**Celebrimbor**

**Cruel are laws of life -**

**Children pay for the sins of the fathers.**

**Silver is tarnished.**

**Tyelperinquar**

**Nwalca ná axani cuilo,**

**Hilyar híni I tié atarion.**

**Tyelpë ná moilena.**

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- literal translation of the second line is "follow children the way of the fathers"


	11. Galadriel

**Disclaimer:**  The wonderful language of Quenya, the Doom of the Noldor and Galadriel are still the property of genial J.R.R.T.  

**Disclaimer 2:  **I am not Japanese and I am familiar with Japanese culture not nearly as well as I would like to be, so my haikus probably suck as haikus, but I tried to do my best.

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Autumn leaves dance, as

Ashes of years cover

Golden heart's fire.

Lassi narquelio liltar

Asto yénio topë 

Laurë órëo

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**Author's Notes:**

**1.** narquelië is roughly equivalent to October, I didn't want to use "lasselanta" for "autumn" to avoid tautology.  And the reason behind dropping the final ë (which you shouldn't do when forming a genitive) is purely phonetic – try to say "narqueliëo"

**2.** Galadriel…  Don't you love how she went from proud but careless Artanis, to Nerwen who took up a sword to defend her relatives from her other relatives, to Galadriel who refused the One Ring…  

**3.** Why golden heart?  She was a "golden girl", had golden hair, and belonged to the Golden House of Finarfin.  Finally, golden heart means kind heart…


	12. The Sack of Doriath

**Disclaimer:** haikus existed for centuries and Middle-earth for years before I was even born.

_This is dedicated to all those who had to see death with their own eyes, be it in on a battlefield, in a hospital, in a car crash or wherever it may find us._

**The Sack of Doriath**

**Red sun is rising,**

**Red blood stains winter's grayness.**

**Air's ringing with grief.**

**Carnë**** Vása ortëa,**

**Sercë**** hasta mistië hrívëo.******

**Vista**** quantëa nyérenen.******

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**The Sack of Doriath – second version**

**Red sun is rising,**

**Red blood stains winter's grayness.**

**Wind dries my tears.**

**Carnë**** Vása ortëa,**

**Sercë**** hasta mistië hrívëo.******

**Súrë**** ringa parca niënyar.******

**Author's Notes:**

Depressing, I know, but it was written after a long and painful week of little sleep and a lot of work.  For some reason, I keep thinking of snow and blood staining it, red on white…  Maybe that aseptic technique video is responsible for it…

**Linguistic notes for geeks:**

- Mistië was formed from adjective mista (gray) isolated from lassemista (leaf-gray), using a suffix typically used by Tolkien to form adjectival nouns in Quenya.

- Parca might be an adjective or a verb, it is not known for sure, but I am using it as a verb here.  - As far as using instrumental case of nyérë, since no clear guideline is available, I am using it by analogy with Russian, the only other language I am familiar with that has instrumental case.

- I am using separate forms of simple and continuous tenses of verbs.


	13. Namo Mandos

**Author's Notes:**

**Disclaimer:**  The wonderful language of Quenya, Finrod, and Amarië belong to genial J.R.R.T.  

**Disclaimer 2:  **I am not Japanese and I am familiar with Japanese culture not nearly as well as I would like to be, so my haikus probably suck as haikus, but I tried to do my best.

**Námo Mandos**

**Your realm is death**

**Which comes before life renewed**

**Eternal winter.**

**Ardalya nuru**

**Epya cuil' envinyanta**

**I hrívë oira.**


	14. Maedhros

**Maedhros******

Where once white flame burnt

Only cold ashes remain.

Darkness calls for you.

**Nelyafinwë Maitimo Russandol**

Yassë yáressë nárë uryane

Lihtar yelwar eressë larta.

Huinë canta tye.

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**Notes:**

- This is the "late Maedhros", after the Sack of the Havens.

- Inspired by words "Thus it came to pass that their people swelled the strength of Nargothrond; but it would have been better, as was after seen, if they had remained in the east among their own kin. Maedhros did deeds of surpassing valour, and the Orcs fled before his face; for since his torment upon Thangorodrim his spirit burned like a white fire within, and he was as one that returns from the dead"

**Linguistic notes:**

- I used "larta" for "remain", as suggested by Boris Shapiro of Gwaith-i-Phethdain

- Huinë seemed to be the most fitting, the most gloomy word for darkness

- "lihta" is my reconstruction of Quenya word for "ash" based on Sindarin "lithui" If you have a better suggestion, please let me know.


End file.
